Changing Light Fixtures – What You Need an Electrician For
Stuck wondering whether you can handle wiring task yourself? Here's a quick rundown of what you need an electrician for.
Read MoreThe bulb in your bathroom light fixture blows.
What should be a quick switchover soon turns into a nightmare when you realize that the fixture can’t be unscrewed.
Don’t worry!
This article will talk you through the steps you need to change a bathroom light fixture with no screws.
To remove a no-screw bathroom light fixture, follow the instruction below that matches your light type:
Fancy looking at those instructions in a little more detail? Then check out the following step-by-step guide:
We all love a flush light fixture in the bathroom—
—Well…we do until the bulb blows in our fancy fixture on a dark winter evening. That makes us go right off it. And as for the instruction manual that explains how to dismantle it… We’re well aware that by now that manual has either transformed into the kids’ 3rd-grade paper mache project or, has rotted into a pulp at the city dump.
It’s only at times like these that we wish we’d gone for the dead easy screw-in light fixture at the homeware store that was half the price.
But don’t despair, what’s coming up is a list of steps that will help you to dismantle any light fixture with no screws.
To get started, take a look at your light fixture and decide which category it falls into:
Once you have a better idea of who your opponent is, it’ll be a whole lot easier for you to tackle them. Take a look at the section in this article that corresponds to your light fixture.
This type of fixture will have the dome secured onto the base using a notch or groove mechanism.
This mechanism is best removed with two people. Once you’ve buddied up, you can get started.
Here’s how:
If you don’t get it the first time, try again as the notch in the dome may be twisted away from the groove. So keep pushing the base up and twisting the dome until you find the groove. Once it has detached itself from the groove it will fall away from the base.
Dead easy right? The good news is that putting it back together is just as simple.
Here’s how:
This type of fixture will have the base and the dome pressed firmly together using tight springs.
Here’s how to remove this kind of light fixture:
Here’s something handy about light fixtures with spring-loaded mechanisms. They’ve been designed to pull away from the wall and hold themselves in place as you change the bulb. (They’re like the light fixture version of hands-free driving.)
Then to put the fixture back together you simply push it up towards the base. With a little maneuvering, it should click back into place.
Now, what If you’re worried about not being able to get the fixture back together again? Even if you only remove the dome from one side, you will still have ample working room around the bulb. Removing the dome on one side only makes it easier to snap everything back into place when you’re done.
Some spring-loaded fixtures have been built with a pressure mechanism. This fixture will separate the base from the dome when pressure is put on the base. The pressure will move the springs to contract and the dome will ease away.
If your fixture has a pressure mechanism, push the springs in on themselves to fit the dome into the base again.
This type of light fixture will have raised bumps that lock the base to the dome.
Here’s how to remove this type of light feature:
Here’s how to put it back together:
This type of light fixture has its base set flush against the ceiling or wall.
Here’s how to remove this kind of light feature:
A standard finial – essentially a decorative type of screw.
Taking it apart is quite a doddle, but you’ll need a steady hand to put it back together.
Here’s how to do it:
What should you do if you’re struggling to remove a bulb from a light fixture? The last thing you want is for the bulb to shatter as you’re removing it. Not only is the broken glass dangerous, but you’ve also not long swept the floor and don’t fancy having to do it again.
I’m about to let you in on a super simple trick. This trick will help you remove a stuck lightbulb without breaking it.
Here’s what you should do:
The great thing about this method is that it keeps your hands far away from the bulb while unscrewing it. This will stop you from hurting yourself while removing a stuck bulb if it breaks. Also, if the bulb should shatter, most of the shards will stick to the duct tape. This will make the cleanup minimal and less dangerous.
Changing a regular lightbulb is child’s play. But, removing a screwless light fixture can seem like a puzzling task. But once you know which kind of light fixture you have, you should be able to dismantle it in next to no time. Following the steps mentioned above makes putting it back together just as easy.
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Thanks for reading, and have a great day!
-Craig